Package box

ABSTRACT

A package box includes a four-sided outer panel having a plurality of parallel panel fold lines and a connection region that is disposed between two adjacent ones of the panel fold lines, and a retainer made from a foldable panel and connected to the connection region. The retainer has two spaced-apart retainer walls, each of which has a bottom panel part connected to the connection region, a top panel part above the bottom panel part, and first and second side panel parts that interconnect the bottom and top panel parts. Each of the retainer walls is convertible between an erect used position, and a collapsed non-used position. The outer panel is folded along the panel fold lines to extend around the retainer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 1032.22007, filed on Dec. 11, 2014.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a package box r more particularly to a package box that can be laid flat.

BACKGROUND

Conventional cardboard package boxes are produced by first cutting a cardboard into a panel that is able to be eventually folded into a package box, then transporting the panel from the manufacturer to the packer, where the panel is folded to form the package box for use. This reduces the bulk of the package box during transport thereof and allows more package boxes to be transported in one trip, thereby saving transportation costs.

A panel of the conventional package box is generally configured to include a quadrangular body that is reserved for being folded into walls of the package box, and at least one protrusion that protrudes from an outer periphery of the quadrangular body for being folded as a cover. However, a problem with this design is that the protrusion(s) protruding from the outer periphery of the quadrangular body is susceptible to damage under collision during the transportation process, particularly at fold line(s) connecting the protrusion(s) to the quadrangular body, where tearing often occurs. Another drawback associated with the conventional package box is that the protrusion(s) causes the entire panel to have a largely irregular contour so that multiple panels are relatively difficult to be evenly stacked and wrapped for transportation.

SUMMARY

Therefore, the object of the disclosure is to provide a package box that can alleviate at least one of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

Accordingly, the package box of the disclosure includes a four-sided outer panel having a plurality of parallel panel fold lines and an outer connection region that is disposed between two adjacent ones of the panel fold lines, and a retainer made from a foldable panel and connected to the outer connection region of the outer panel. The retainer has two spaced-apart retainer walls, each of which has a bottom panel part connected to the outer connection region, a top panel part above the bottom panel part, and first and second side panel, parts that interconnect the bottom and top panel parts. Each of the retainer walls is convertible between a used position, where the top and bottom panel parts are spaced apart from each other, and where the first and second side panel parts extend substantially perpendicularly to the outer connection region to thereby cooperate with the top and bottom panel parts to form a rectangular hollow wall structure, and a non-used position, where the rectangular hollow wall structure lays flat on the outer connection region, collapses at two first corner portions of the rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other, and becomes flat at two second corner portions of the rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other. The second side panel parts of the retainer walls are disposed between the first side panel parts of the retainer walls when the retainer walls are at the used position. The outer panel is folded along the panel fold lines to extend around the retainer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a package box according to the disclosure, showing the package box before an outer panel and a retainer have been assembled together;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a panel of the retainer of the first embodiment in a laid-flat state;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic view showing one of two retainer walls of the retainer of the first embodiment in a used position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic view showing one of the retainer walls of the retainer of the first embodiment at a position between the used position arid a non-used position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic view showing one of the retainer walls of the retainer of the first embodiment in the non-used position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment showing the retainer walls of the retainer assembled with the outer panel in the non-used position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic view of the first embodiment illustrating the thickness of the outer panel relative to the distance between first and second panel grooves of each first corner portion;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the storage box accommodating a bottle, illustrating a structural arrangement between the retainer walls in the used position and the bottle held therebetween;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating the assembly of the outer panel and the retainer with the bottle held between the retainer walls;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the first embodiment when the outer panel is folded around the retainer walls along panel fold lines;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the package box according to the disclosure, showing the package box in an unused state, with the retainer walls in the non-used position;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary schematic view of the second embodiment showing one of the retainer walls in the non-used position;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the second embodiment showing the retainer walls assembled with the outer panel at a position between the used and a non-used position;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary schematic view of the second embodiment showing one of the retainer walls in the used position;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the storage box accommodating two containers, illustrating a structural arrangement between the retainer in a used state and the containers held therein;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the second embodiment illustrating the assembly of the outer panel and the retainer with the containers held therein; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the second embodiment when the outer panel is folded around the retainer walls along panel fold lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a first embodiment of a package box according to the disclosure includes a four-sided outer panel 1 having a plurality of parallel panel fold lines 10 that extend in an extending direction and an outer connection region 111 that is disposed between two adjacent ones of the panel fold lines 10, and a retainer 2 made from a single foldable panel and connected to the outer connection region 111 of the outer panel 1.

The retainer 2 has two spaced-apart retainer walls 21 and an intermediate panel portion 22 that is connected between the retainer walls 21 and that is connected to the outer connection region 111 of the outer panel 1. Each of the retainer walls 21 has a bottom panel part 211 connected to the outer connection region 111, a top panel part 212 above the bottom panel part 211, and first and second side panel parts 213, 214 that interconnect the bottom and top panel parts 211, 212. Each of the retainer walls 21 is convertible between a used position (see FIG. 3), where the top and bottom panel parts 212, 211 are spaced apart from each other, and where the first and second side pane 1 parts 213, 214 extend substantially perpendicularly to the outer connection region 111 to thereby cooperate with the top and bottom panel parts 212, 211 to form a rectangular hollow wall structure, and a non-used position (see FIG. 5), where the rectangular hollow wall structure lays fiat on the outer connection region 111 (see FIG. 6), collapses at two first corner portions 2151 of the rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other, and becomes flat at two second corner portions 2152 of the rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other. Alternatively, the retainer 2 may be a single panel. It should be noted that while the embodiments of this disclosure incorporate the intermediate panel portion 22, other embodiments of the package box may omit the inclusion of the intermediate panel portion 22.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, the second side panel parts 214 of the retainer walls 21 are disposed between the first side panel parts 213 when the retainer walls 21 are at the used position, are formed respectively with through holes 217 that are adapted for insertion of two ends of an article intended to be retained therebetween, and are further formed respectively with retainer wall notches 218 in edges of the second side panel parts 214. In this embodiment, the article is a bottle 91. When the retainer walls 21 are at the used position, the two through holes 217 are aligned with each other and the two retainer wall notches 218 are aligned with each other. The outer panel 1 is folded along the panel fold lines 10 to extend around the retainer 2.

The outer panel 1 further has a main portion 11 having the outer connection region 111 and the panel fold lines 10, and two flank portions 12 projecting respectively from opposite sides of the main portion 11 in a transverse direction that is transverse to the extending direction and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the outer connection region 111. Each of the flank portions 12 has two opposite ends that are respectively indented from two opposite ends of the respective one of the two opposite sides of the main portion 11 in the extending direction. Each of the flank portions 12 further has a flank edge 120 that is distal from the main portion 11 in the transverse direction, and two flank notches 121 that are indented from the flank edge 120 toward the main portion 11. The flank notches 121 of each of the flank portions 12 are respectively interlocked with the retainer wall notches 218 of the second side panel parts 214 of the retainer walls 21 when the retainer walls 21 are at the used position and when the outer panel 1 is folded around the retainer walls 21 along the panel fold lines 10, so as to have the flank portions 12 come in face-to-face abutment with each other in proximity to one edge of the second side panel part 214 and to form the main portion 11 of the outer panel 1 into a surrounding wall that extends around the retainer walls 21. As shown in FIG. 10, the outer panel 1 and the foldable panel are thereby formed into a closed box. The retainer walls 21 may be situated away from the peripheral sides of the connection region 111 so as to be sunken inward towards each other relative to the outer panel 1 to form a buffering space for protecting the bottle 91 retained therein from impact.

Referring back to FIGS. 2 and 3 to 5, the foldable panel that makes up the retainer 2 has eight first panel grooves 215 and four second panel grooves 216. Four of the first panel grooves 215 are disposed in each of the retainer walls 21 (only one of the retainer walls 21 is shown in FIGS. 3 to 5) and are respectively formed between the top panel part 212 and the first side panel part 213, between the top panel part 212 and the second side panel part 214, between the bottom panel part 211 and the first side panel part 213, and between the bottom panel part 211 and the second side panel part 214, thereby enabling the foldable panel to fold and form the first and second corner portions 2151, 2152 when the retainer walls 21 are at the used position. Two of the second panel grooves 216 are disposed in each of the retainer walls 21 and are respectively proximal and parallel to the two of the first panel grooves 215 that form respectively the first corner portions 2151 of the corresponding rectangular hollow wall structure, and enable the rectangular hollow wall structure to collapse unobstructedly at the first corner portions 2151 when the retainer wall 21 is at the non-used position.

The bottom panel part 211 of each of the retainer walls 21 has a lower panel layer 2111 connected between the intermediate panel portion 22 and the first side panel part 213, and an upper panel layer 2112 disposed over the lower panel layer 2111 and connected to the second side panel part 214. One of the second panel grooves 216 is disposed in the first side panel part 213 in proximity to the bottom panel part 211; and the other one of the second panel grooves 216 is disposed in the second side panel part 214 in proximity to the top panel part 212. At the non-used position, the retainer walls 21 extend toward each other.

When in use, a user may begin folding each of the retainer walls 21 at the upper panel layer 2112 and finish with the outer edge of the upper panel layer 2112 abutting against the first side panel part 213 in the manner shown in FIG. 3, and glue the lower panel layer 2111 and the upper panel layer 2112 together to thereby form the rectangular hollow wall structure. Referring to FIGS. to 6, the foldable panel is folded along the second panel grooves 215 and the respective two adjacent first panel grooves 215 when each of the retainer walls 21 is at the non-used position. Referring to FIG. 7, the distance (D) between each of the second panel grooves 216 and the immediately adjacent first panel groove 215 is ideally at least twice the thickness (T) of the foldable panel so as to allow the retainer walls 21 to completely fold flat. The first and second panel grooves 215, 216 may be formed by gouging or imprinting the surface of the foldable panel.

Referring back to FIG. 6, when the retainer walls of the retainer 2 are at the non-used position and the retainer 2 is connected flatly against the outer connection region 111 of the outer panel 1, the unassembled package box has a substantially quadrangular shape with the outer periphery being composed of four substantially straight sides with no protrusions sticking out therefrom. In this way, not only can the drawback of potential tearing of the protrusions during transport associated with conventional package boxes be prevented, but the unassembled package boxes may also be stacked two by two in opposite directions with the side formed with the retainer 2 facing each other to reduce the overall thickness and increase the steadiness of the stacked package boxes.

Referring to FIGS. 11 to 15, a second embodiment of the package box according to the disclosure is similar to the first embodiment except for the following differences. In the second embodiment, the first side panel part 213 of each of the retainer walls 21 (only one of the retainer walls 21 is shown in FIGS. 12 to 14) has an outer panel layer 2131 connected between the intermediate panel portion 22 and the top panel part 212, and an inner panel layer 2132 connected to the bottom panel part 211 and extending over an inner surface of the outer panel layer 2131. For each retainer wall 21, one of the second panel grooves 216 is formed in the top panel part 212 in proximity to the second side panel part 214; the other one of the second panel grooves 216 is formed in the bottom panel part 211 in proximity to the first side panel part 213. The retainer walls 21 of this embodiment extend away from each other at the non-used position (see FIG. 11). More specifically, when the retainer walls 21 are at the non-used position, the first side panel part 213 and the top panel part 212 of each retainer wall 21 are stacked on top of the outer panel 1, and the second side panel part 214 and the bottom panel part 211 are stacked on top of the first side panel part 213 and the top panel part 212. When converting to the used position, the bottom panel part 211 of each of the retainer walls 21 is flipped over 180° to lean against the intermediate panel portion 22 so that the first side panel part 213 and the second side panel part 214 of the retainer wall 21 are perpendicular to the connection region ill of the outer panel 1.

The retainer 2 of this embodiment further has two connection walls 23 that are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the intermediate panel portion 22 between the retainer walls 21 and that are convertible between a used position (see FIG. 13) and a non-used position (see FIG. 11). The connection walls 23 cooperate with the retainer walls 21 to form a four-sided surrounding wall structure when the retainer walls 21 and the connection walls 23 are at the used position and are laid flat on the outer panel 1 when being at the non-used position. Each of the connection walls 23 has an outer panel part 231 that is connected to the intermediate panel portion 22, an inner panel part 232, and an upper panel part 233 that is connected between the outer and inner panel parts 231, 232 above the intermediate panel portion 22. The foldable panel of the retainer 2 further has six retainer fold lines 230, three of which are disposed in each of the connection walls 23 and are respectively disposed between the outer panel part 231 and the intermediate panel portion 22, between the upper panel part 233 and the outer panel part 231, and between the upper panel part 233 and the inner panel part 232. For instance, when each of the connection walls 23 is at the non-used position, the outer panel part 231 and the upper panel part 233 are laid flat on the inner panel part 232 and the intermediate panel portion 22; when each of the connection walls 23 is at the used position, the inner and outer panel parts 232, 231 are spaced apart from each other and extend perpendicularly to the intermediate panel portion 22, and the upper panel part 233 is spaced apart from the intermediate panel portion 22.

The inner panel part 232 of each of the connection walls 23 has two opposite connection edges 2320 respectively proximal to the retainer walls 21 when the connection wall 23 is at the used position, and two first connection notches 234 respectively indented from the connection edges 2320 and flush with the top panel parts 212 of the retainer walls 21 when the connection wall 23 and the retainer walls 21 are at the used position. Each of the retainer walls 21 further has two openings 219, each of which extends from the top panel part 212 to the second side panel part 214 and is aligned with one of the connection edges 2320 of the inner panel part 232 of one of the connection walls 23 when the retainer wall 21 and the connection walls 23 are at the used position. The top panel part 212 of each of the retainer walls 21 interlocks with one of the connection edges 2320 of the inner panel part 232 of each of the connection walls 23 through an inter-engagement of one of the openings 219 and one of the first connection notches 234. The retainer walls 21 and the connection walls 23 cooperate to define a receiving space that may be used for receiving containers 92.

Referring further to FIGS. 16 and 17, the inner panel part 232 of each of the connection walls 23 further has one second connection notch 235 indented from one of the connection edges 2320 at a level higher than the top panel parts 212 of the retainer walls 21 when the connection wall 23 and the retainer walls 21 are at the used position. Similar to the configuration of the first embodiment, when the connection walls 23 and the retainer walls 21 of the second embodiment are at the used position and when the outer panel 1 is folded along the panel fold lines 10 to extend around the connection walls 23, the flank notches 121 of each of the flank portions 12 respectively interlock with the second connection notches 235 of the connection edges 2320 of the inner panel parts 232 of the connection walls 23, the flank portions 12 come in face-to-face abutment with each other, and the main portion 11 forms a surrounding wall to surround the connection walls 23 and the retainer walls 21 to form a closed box.

In sum, by allowing the retainer 2, when at the non-used position, to be connected flatly against the connection region 111 of the outer panel 1, the unassembled package box has a substantially quadrangular shape with the outer periphery being composed of four substantially straight sides with no protrusions sticking out therefrom. In this way, not only can the drawback of potential tearing of the protrusions during transport associated with conventional package boxes be prevented, but the unassembled package boxes may also be easily stacked and bundled for transportation. Furthermore, the retainer 2 may cooperate with the outer panel 1 to form a closed box and secure contents such as the bottle 91 and the containers 92 therein.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A package box comprising: a four-sided outer panel having a plurality of parallel panel fold lines, and an outer connection region that is disposed between two adjacent ones of said panel fold lines; and a retainer made from a foldable panel and connected to said outer connection region of said outer panel, said retainer having two spaced-apart retainer walls, each of which has a bottom panel part connected to said outer connection region, a top panel part above said bottom panel part, and first and second side panel parts that interconnect said bottom and top panel parts, each of said retainer walls being convertible between a used position, where said top and bottom panel parts are spaced apart from each other, and where said first and second side panel parts extend substantially perpendicularly to said outer connection region to thereby cooperate with said top and bottom panel parts to form a rectangular hollow wall structure, and a non-used position, where said rectangular hollow wall structure lays flat on said outer connection region, collapses at two first corner portions of said rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other, and becomes flat at two second corner portions of said rectangular hollow wall structure that are diagonally opposite to each other, said second side panel parts of said retainer walls being disposed between said first side panel parts of said retainer walls when said retainer walls are at the used position, said outer panel being folded along said panel fold lines to extend around said retainer.
 2. The package box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foldable panel of said retainer has, in each of said retainer walls: first panel grooves that are respectively formed between said top panel part and said first side panel part, between said top panel part and said second side panel part, between said bottom panel part and said first side panel part, and between said bottom panel part and said second side panel part, and that enable said foldable panel to fold and form said first and second corner portions when said retainer wall is at the used position; and two second panel grooves that are respectively proximal and parallel to two of said first panel grooves which form respectively said first corner portions, and that enable said rectangular hollow wall structure to collapse at said first corner portions when said retainer wall is at the non-used position, said foldable panel being folded along said second panel grooves and said two of said first panel grooves when said retainer wall is at the non-used position.
 3. The package box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retainer further has an intermediate panel portion that is connected between said retainer walls and that is connected to said outer connection region of said outer panel.
 4. The package box as claimed in claim 3, wherein said retainer is a single panel.
 5. The package box as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bottom panel part of each of said retainer walls has a lower panel layer connected between said intermediate panel portion and said first side panel part, and an upper panel layer disposed over said lower panel layer and connected to said second side panel part, one of said two second panel grooves being disposed in said first side panel part in proximity to said bottom panel part, the other one of said two second panel grooves being disposed in said second side panel part in proximity to said top panel part, said retainer walls extending toward each other at the non-used position.
 6. The package box as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second side panel parts of said retainer walls are respectively formed with through holes that are aligned with each other and that are adapted for insertion of two ends of a bottle to retain the bottle therebetween.
 7. The package box as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said second side panel part of each of said retainer walls has a retainer wall notch formed in an edge thereof, said retainer wall notches of said retainer walls being aligned with each other when said retainer walls are at the used position; said panel fold lines of said outer panel extend in an extending direction; and said outer panel further has a main portion having said outer connection region and said panel fold lines, and two flank portions projecting respectively from opposite ends of said main portion in a transverse direction that is transverse to the extending direction and disposed respectively at opposite sides of said outer connection region, each of said flank portions having two opposite ends that are respectively indented from two opposite ends of the respective one of said two opposite sides of said main portion in the extending direction, each of said flank portions further having a flank edge that is distal from said main portion in the transverse direction, and two flank notches that are indented from said flank edge toward said main portion, said flank notches of each of said flank portions being respectively interlocked with said retainer wall notches of said second side panel parts of said retainer walls when said retainer walls are at the used position and when said outer panel is folded around said retainer walls along said panel fold lines to place said flank portions in face-to-face abutment with each other in proximity to said one edge of said second side panel part of each of said retainer walls and to form said main portion into a surrounding wall that extends around said retainer walls.
 8. The package box as claimed in claim 3, wherein; said retainer further has two connection walls that are respectively connected to two opposite sides of said intermediate panel portion between said retainer walls and that are convertible between a used position and a non-used position, said connection walls cooperating with said retainer walls to form a four-sided surrounding wall structure when said retainer walls and said connection walls are in the used position, said connection walls being laid flat on said outer panel when being at the non-used position, each of said connection walls having an outer panel part that is connected to said intermediate panel portion, an inner panel part, and an upper panel part that is connected between said outer and inner panel parts above said intermediate panel portion, said foldable panel of said retainer further having, for each of said connection walls, retainer fold lines that are respectively disposed between said outer panel part and said intermediate panel portion, between said upper panel part and said outer panel part, and between said upper panel part and said inner panel part; when each of said connection walls is at the non-used position, said outer panel part and said upper panel part are laid flat on said inner panel part and said intermediate panel portion; and when each of said connection walls is at the used position, said inner and outer panel parts are spaced apart from each other and extend perpendicularly to said intermediate panel portion, and said upper panel part is spaced apart from said intermediate panel portion.
 9. The package box as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said inner panel part of each of said connection walls has two opposite connection edges respectively proximal to said retainer walls when said connection walls are at the used position, and two first connection notches respectively indented from said connection edges and flush with said top panel parts of said retainer walls when said connection wall and said retainer walls are at the used position; and each of said retainer walls further has two openings, each of which extends from said top panel part to said second side panel part and is aligned with one of said connection edges of said inner panel part of one of said connection walls when said retainer wall and said connection walls are at the used position, said top panel part of each of said retainer sails interlocking with one of said connection edges of said inner panel part of each of said connection walls through an inter-engagement of one of said openings and one of said first connection notches.
 10. The package box as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first side panel part of each of said retainer walls has an outer panel layer connected between said intermediate panel portion and said top panel part, and an inner panel layer connected to said bottom panel part and extending over an inner surface of said outer panel layer, one of said two second panel grooves being formed in said top panel part in proximity to said second side panel part, the other one of said two second panel grooves being formed in said bottom panel part in proximity to said first side panel part, said retainer walls extending away from each other at the non-used position.
 11. The package box as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said inner panel part of each of said connection walls further has a second connection notch indented from one of said connection edges at a level higher than said top panel parts of said retainer walls when said connection wall and said retainer walls are at the used position; said panel fold lines of said outer panel extends in an extending direction; said outer panel further has a main portion having said outer connection region and said panel fold lines, and two flank portions projecting respectively from opposite sides of said main portion in a transverse direction that is transverse to the extending direction and disposed respectively at opposite sides of said outer connection region, each of said flank portions having two opposite ends that are respectively indented from two opposite ends of the respective one of said two opposite sides of said main portion in the transverse direction, each of said flank portions further having a flank edge that is distal from said main portion in the transverse direction, and two flank notches that are indented from said flank edge toward said main portion, said flank notches of each of said flank portions being respectively aligned with said second connection notches of said inner panel parts of said connection walls when said connection walls and said retainer walls are at the used position; and when said connection and retainer walls are at the used position and when said outer panel is folded along said panel fold lines to extend around said connection walls, said flank notches of each of said flank portions respectively interlock with said second connection notches of said connection edges of said inner panel parts, said flank portions are in face-to-face abutment with each other, and said main portion forms a surrounding wall to surround said connection and retainer walls.
 12. The package box as claimed in claim 2, wherein a distance between each of said second panel grooves and an immediately adjacent one of said first panel grooves is at least twice a thickness of said foldable panel. 